This invention relates to a composition useful in restoring crazed or alligatored finishes, and to a method of using the composition.
Known compositions for treating a surface finished with, for example, shellac, lacquer, paint or varnish fall into two general categories: cleaners and strippers. Cleaners are intended to remove superficial soil on the finish but do not affect the finish itself. Strippers, on the other hand, are intended for the complete removal of the finish, and subsequent refinishing of the surface is required.
In many circumstances, particularly old finishes on antique furniture or finished surfaces exposed to weathering, the exterior surface of the finish begins to deteriorate, becoming crazed, broken, or "alligatored." Known cleaners are not effective at restoring such deteriorated finishes, but complete removal of the finish using a stripper may be unacceptable.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a finish restorer which is capable of reducing or eliminating the deterioration of the finish, while leaving a relatively smooth coating of the original behind.